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Parasite
Brian George , "Secret Society Marc Worden , "Epilogue" }} Parasite, real name Rudy Jones, was transformed into an energy-draining creature and would later lead a life of crime. History S.T.A.R. Labs janitor Rudy Jones was stealing a few experimental chemicals with a crook named Martin Lebeau when Jones was surprised by some security guards. Lebeau turned using a gun to force the security guards away and in the ensuing fight, some chemicals were caught on fire. Lebeau jumped into his truck and attempted to drive away leaving Rudy to jump into the back of the truck with the unsecured chemical canisters. While Superman was at S.T.A.R. he stayed behind to help some endangered security guards. During the criminals' escape, Jones was accidentally bathed with the chemicals. He begged Lebeau to stop the car, but was dropped off the side of the road, unconscious. Hours later, he came into contact with a rat and drained its energy, then did the same to a hapless policewoman, discovering that not only did he take her energy, he took her memories and could mimic her voice as well. Realizing his new power, he named himself the Parasite. With his new powers and appearance, Parasite went to Hobb's Bay, where he encountered Martin Lebeau and tried to kill him, until Superman arrived. Parasite feigned compliance but grabbed Superman when he came too close and drained his powers, weakening him. He then used Superman's powers to commit a series of crimes, but he eventually began to lose them. Learning that his energy reserve was temporary, Parasite decided to get his power back. Attacking Clark Kent, in his own apartment, Parasite kidnapped and held him captive in STAR Labs' boiler room, where he told Superman he would come back to drain his powers every twelve hours. Fortunately, Jimmy Olsen came to rescue Superman and they escaped. Parasite went after Superman, cornering him in a lab. He attempted to drain Superman's powers again, but was tricked into touching a piece of Kryptonite, learning the hard way that he had also gained Superman's weaknesses, he absorbed the harmful energies of the Kryptonite rendering him all but comatose. He was held under custody in S.T.A.R. until they designed his special cell in Stryker's Prison. After touching a roach, however, he found that his powers were still in effect. , "Feeding Time" A few months later, while Parasite spent his time in jail, Dr. Earl Garver threatened to destroy Metropolis with a bomb if they didn't pay him a large sum of money in ransom; unfortunately, he was knocked unconscious before he could tell anyone where the bomb was. Reluctantly, Superman turned to Parasite for help. Parasite agreed, but with a condition: if he helped Superman, he would get a large screen TV with every available channel. His captors complied and Parasite proceeded to extract information from Garver's mind, but he ended draining Garver's consciousness as well. Garver's consciousness took over and he still made his demand for ransom. Inside Parasite's mind, Jones and Garver talked about Superman and Parasite's inability to retain his stolen energies. Garver promised to find a way to allow the Parasite to keep what energies he stole (thereby granting Rudy the power he always wanted) and the two teamed up to escape. In Parasite's body, Garver lured Superman into an abandoned train station, where he found Garver's bomb and deactivated it, but Garver attacked him. They fought and Superman told him that the bomb would destroy the city, but Garver didn't care, as his own body was in an ambulance far from the blast. Realizing that Garver had no intent of sharing his power with Jones (essentially leaving him for dead) Jones attacked. The two battled inside Parasite's mind, ending in a victory for Garver. However, Superman managed to drop the bomb into an abyss. Garver attacked him causing both to fall into the abyss as well. Fortunately, Superman managed to escape relatively unharmed and Garver was thrown out just before the bomb exploded. Garver's mind returned to its original body but he found he was already captured and was delivered to the police, the Parasite was returned to prison as well but he was enjoying his new TV screen.Idem, "Two's a Crowd" Some time later, the electrokinetic criminal Livewire helped Parasite break out of prison after realizing that Superman's power was too great for her to overcome. Parasite agreed to help but he was secretly planning to take Livewire's powers for his own. Freed from prison Parasite escaped in a boat and when Superman came, Parasite grabbed and stole the swimming abilities of a shark and battled Superman beneath the ocean. He was unable to take Superman's powers, however, and escaped. Later, Parasite and Livewire met up with each other and Parasite attempted to steal Livewire's powers. Livewire was wise to his plans, however, and shocked him away. She was still in need of his ability and let him live believing that Parasite had learned his lesson. The two entered into a power plant where they allowed their presence to be known in order to lure Superman in. Superman arrived, but the combined abilities of Livewire and Parasite were too much for him and Parasite managed to take his powers. When Livewire was preparing to kill Superman, Parasite took the opportunity to take her powers as well. He nearly used his new powers to defeat Superman, but he was defeated when he was exposed to water. Rendered comatose once more, he and Livewire were later delivered to the authorities.Idem, "Double Dose" Years later, the Parasite was recruited by Grodd to be a member of the Secret Society: a criminal group with the goal to destroy the Justice League. He assisted the team to free Clayface from Morgan Edge's clutches. In the first battle, Parasite drained Superman's powers. In the second battle, he drained Wonder Woman's powers. In the third battle, he drained Flash's powers, but was knocked out. After the Secret Society was defeated, Parasite was delivered to the police. , "Secret Society" Later, the Parasite was seen battling Elongated Man and Metamorpho, draining their powers. Parasite was confronted by Batman, who directed a Batarang at him, but it was ineffective. Superman rushed to the scene, only to find that he had been defeated by Captain Marvel and delivered to the authorities. , "Clash" He eventually joined Grodd's Legion of Doom. However, when Lex Luthor overthrew Grodd from leadership, Parasite disagreed, and during the Legion's mutiny, Parasite sided with Grodd's faction against Luthor's. Afterwards, Parasite, along with Grodd's other supporters, were frozen by Killer Frost and blown up by Darkseid.Idem, "Alive!" Normally, this would be counted as the definitive end for the Parasite, as it was for many other villains that day. However, forty-five years later, there's a large, monstrous-looking Parasite who is a member of the Iniquity Collective. During the collective's fight against the JLU, "Parasite" was in possession of an orb that was damaged then destroyed by Kai-Ro. While trying to escape, "Parasite" was beaten down by Warhawk. However, it remains unclear whether he's Rudy Jones or possibly a second Parasite. Abilities and Equipment Parasite had the ability to temporarily drain the strength, abilities, and memories of other living things through physical, or mental, contact. Over time, these stolen powers would slip away, returning to their original source. In particular, doing this to someone with an especially strong mind carried the risk of allowing that person to assert his or her will over Rudy's, as demonstrated during the incident with Earl Garver. Appearances * "Feeding Time" * "Two's a Crowd" * "Double Dose" * "Superman's Pal" * "Secret Society" * "Clash" * "Epilogue" (true identity uncertain) * "I Am Legion" * "The Great Brain Robbery" * "Alive!" Footnotes Category:Batman Beyond-era characters Category:Justice League rogues Category:Superman rogues